not greatly dissimilar, which occurred at the palace of Whitehall, in the days of our merry monarch, Charles II :

"The French ambassador was one day vaunting the dexterity of the Parisian thieves to one of the grand dukes, and related many anecdotes of their address. The Grand Duke was of opinion, that the St. Petersburg thieves were quite their equals; and offered to lay a wager, that, if the ambassador would dine with him the next day, he would cause his Excellency's watch, signet-ring, or any other articles of his dress which he thought most secure, to be stolen from him before the dessert was over. The ambassador accepted the wager; and the Grand Duke sent immediately to the chief of the police, desiring him to send the adroitest thief he might happen to have in custody at the time. The man was dressed in livery, instructed what to do, and promised a pardon if he accomplished his task well. The ambassador had named his watch as the particular object of attention, both for himself and the thief; when he had got the watch, the supposed servant was to give the Grand Duke a sign.

"The dinner began; the preliminary whet, the soups and the rôti, came and disappeared in their turns; the red, white, Greek, Spanish, and French wines, sparkled successively in the glasses of the guests. The ambassador kept close guard on his watch; and the Grand Duke, observing his earnest anxiety, smiled, with good-humoured archness. The

pretended lacquey was busily assisting in the removal of the dishes; the dinner was nearly over, and the prince awaited with impatience the expected signal. Suddenly his countenance brightened; he turned to the ambassador, who was in deep conversation with his neighbour, and asked him what was the hour. His Excellency triumphantly put his hand to his pocket-he had it on his watch a few moments before-and to the amusement of all, but particularly of the Grand Duke, drew out a very neatly-cut turnip! A general laugh followed. The ambassador, somewhat embarrassed, would take a pinch of snuff, and felt in all his pockets for his gold snuff-box; it was gone! The laughter became louder. The ambassador, in his embarrassment and vexation, had recourse to his seal-ring, to turn it, as he was accustomed; it was gone! In short, he found that he had been regularly plundered of everything but what had been fastened on him by the tailor and the shoemaker —of ring, watch, snuff-box, handkerchief, toothpick, and gloves. The adroit rogue was brought before him, and commanded by the Grand Duke to give back the stolen property; when, to the great surprise of the prince, the pickpocket took out two watches, and presented one to the ambassador, and one to his Imperial Highness; two rings-one for the ambassador, and one for the Grand Duke; two snuff-boxes, &c. In astonishment, his Highness now felt in his pockets, as the ambassador had done, and found that he too had been stripped of his moveables in a like

manner. The Grand Duke solemnly assured the ambassador that he had been quite unconscious of the theft; and was disposed, at first, to be angry with the too dexterous artist. However, upon second

thoughts, the fellow, who had enabled him to win his wager so triumphantly, was dismissed with a present, and a warning, to employ his talents in future to more useful purposes."

The Russian is so accustomed to the smooth, noiseless progress of his sleigh or drosky over the snow, which forms the paving of St. Petersburg during a large portion of the year, that he cannot be reconciled to the endurance of our rough granite paving during his brief summer. To this reason may be ascribed the preference for what is known among us by the name of block-pavement, made of square or hexagonal sections of wood, cut across the grain, and embedded in sand and pitch; and which, after a very brief trial in London, has been abandoned, as equally costly and objectionable. The expense, which was great in London, is still more in Russia; for, though the wood is there easily procured, the frosts and wet rapidly destroy it, and render constant repairs necessary. But the will of the Emperor is abundantly sufficient to outweigh any considerations, either of cost or convenience. It is no unimportant matter, however, in a city where so much importance is attached to equipages; and where the block-paved Nefskoï, especially, is to be seen, at certain hours of the day, literally crowded with the showy equipages